Antony Raju
Thiruvananthapuram: The concession of Rs 2 for students’ bus travel is a shame, transport Minister Antony Raju said on Sunday. The minister pointed out that concession should be increased. The permit of buses will be cancelled if they refuse to take students, he said.
"The bus owners have raised the issue, including increasing the concession of students. Today, the current rate of Rs 2 as concession is a disgrace for even the students who pay it. In 2012, the concession was increased to Rs 2. However, ten years have passed since it is increased. The bus will carry more students than other passengers during school hours. Bus owners say this is causing a huge loss in revenue. The argument is fair to some extent,” he said.
The bus owners had declared a strike demanding increase in bus fare, including concessions. The remark from the minister came in the wake of these demands.
The bus owners want the concession for students to be increased from Rs 2 to Rs 6. However, the government-appointed Justice Ramachandran Committee suggested an increase to Rs 5.
He said the bus fare would be increased only after further discussions. Meanwhile, student organizations, including KSU, criticized the decision to increase the concession.
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